W.K. Kellogg Foundation names Kara I. Carlisle as director of New Mexico programs, Robby Rodriguez as program officer for New Mexico programs

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The W.K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Mich., today announced Kara I. Carlisle as its new director of New Mexico programs. She will lead a team managing the foundation’s place-based grantmaking efforts throughout the state.

Carlisle joined the foundation in 2008 and served previously as a lead program officer for New Mexico and a program officer for civic engagement nationally. Prior to that, she led the City of Los Angeles Human Relations Commission and served as associate director at Zócalo Public Square Lecture Series. Earlier, while at Korean American Coalition-Los Angeles, she was director of public relations and director of the 4.29 Dispute Resolution Center. She also held the positions of personnel officer and development officer at Koreatown Youth and Community Center, Inc., Los Angeles.

Also joining the team will be Robby Rodriquez as program officer for New Mexico programs. Rodriguez will be based in Albuquerque at the Kellogg Foundation’s new regional office. Previously, Rodriguez worked as a programme executive at the Atlantic Philanthropies in New York and was the executive director at SouthWest Organizing Project in Albuquerque.

The new regional office at 117 Gold Avenue SW will open in October.

The Kellogg Foundation has supported nonprofit efforts in New Mexico for more than 70 years. Within New Mexico, in collaboration with community organizations, businesses, neighborhoods and other funders, the foundation works to remove barriers faced by many New Mexican children, especially children of color.

Current grants are concentrated in Bernalillo, Doña Ana, McKinley and San Juan counties and in Native communities across the state, places that are estimated to be home to more than half of vulnerable children in New Mexico.

“The needs of children in New Mexico are urgent and opportunities for children are shrinking instead of growing,” said Carlisle. “Our grantmaking investments will continue to be targeted towards ensuring all children are healthy, well-educated and living in economically secure families, with a special emphasis on supporting organizations and programs that focus on early childhood (prenatal to age 8).”

“Working together with the community, we believe we can help build a healthier future for New Mexican children, one that provides equal access to opportunity and equal opportunity to thrive,” added Carlisle.

“Our experience has taught us that social change happens most effectively when the foundation operates in full partnership with the community,” said Kellogg Foundation Vice President – Program Strategy James McHale. “By establishing a more permanent local presence in the state, our team’s hope is to continue to forge close relationships with community members to co-create the conditions necessary to support and propel vulnerable children to success in New Mexico.”

About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.

The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Mich., and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.